Shock absorber



May 23, 1939. E. J. LAUGAUDIN SHOCK ABSORBER Original Filed July 17,1935 Patented May 23, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Divided and thisapplication August 11, 1937, Serial No. 158,584. In France July 18,

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in shock absorbersapplicable to all land and aerial vehicles and is also adaptable toother industrial uses.

In my patent specification numbered 31,912,

, filed July 1'7, 1935, of which this application is a division, I havedescribed a shock absorber providing essentially a cylinder containing acompressed gaseous fluid in which a piston moves under the action ofshocks and compresses the gaseous fluid in the cylinder; the main pistonbeing combined with a loose piston receiving the pressure of thecompressed gaseous fluid and reacting on a liquid placed between themain piston and the loose piston, which liquid transmits the pressurereceived to packings comprising cups with tapered edges which come inclose contact, either with the inside wall of the cylinder, or theoutside wall of the piston so as to provide a fluid-proofed joint.

The present invention consists in an improved shock absorber comprisinga cylinder and main piston, a second piston displaceable within saidcylinder and adapted to separate a mass of liquid and a mass of gaseousfluid contained in said cylinder, sealing means forming opposed flexiblemembers having tapering scraping skirts spacedly arranged and betweenwhich is located the liquid, said scraping skirts being respectivelysecured with said pistons whereby as the result of pressure solelyexerted by the gaseous fluid on the second piston and transmitted to theliquid said scraping skirts are pressed closely against the cylinder.

The annexed drawing shows the improved construction by way of example.

The single figure is a vertical section 01 the shock absorber.

As may be seen on the drawing, this construction is provided by acylinder II in which is located a compressed gaseous fluid, compressedair for instance, which is blown in through the valve IS; in thiscylinder, a main piston can move under the action of the shocks, whichpiston can be constituted in the following manner: the piston rod l isprovided at its top portion with a screwthread on which the packing cup4 is screwed; this cup with tapered edge forming a scraper is made ofany suitable material and namely of elastic metal. 7

The piston is extended by a cylindrical part Ia; on this cylindricalpart is engaged the loose piston 8 which bears at its centre a sleeve 8bfor its guidance in its movement along the cylindrical extension Ia ofthe piston; on the other hand,

this loose piston is provided with a tapered edge 8a which forms ascraping cup along the inside wall of the cylinder, the tapered edges 4and 8a facing each other.

It will be noticed that the sleeve 8b is of greater length than thetapered part ofthe cup itself, so as to prevent the tapered edges of thetwo cups from coming into contact with each other when insufficient oilis located between the two cups, as these contacts would damage thetapered edges of the cups.

On the end part of the piston extension la is fixed a disc which acts asa guide to secure a perfect centralisation of the piston assembly in thecylinder; this disc is pierced with holes 26 to allow the compressedgaseous fluid to act on the loose piston 8. I2 is the admission valve ofthe liquid fluid, oil for instance, which is supplied through theconduit l2a to the chamber 9.

The working operation is as follows:

The compressed air contained in the cylinder II is over-compressed underthe action of the shocks received by the rod l the pressure thus createdacts directly on the loose piston 8 and on the oil of the chamber 9, inthese conditions, under the action of this pressure, the tapered edges 4and 8a are pressed into contact with the inisice wall of the cylinder,securing a perfect J0 n It is to be noted that in this construction thecups 4 and 8a of which the edges are facing each other, are both movingalong the wall of the cylinder, one acting rigidly with rod I, whereasthe other 8a, acting with the loose piston 8, moves relatively to theother cup; moreover, the guidance of the loose piston through the sleeve8b secures a correct run of the said loose piston which cannot take anyinclination whatsoever.

I claim:

1. An improved shock absorber comprising a cylinder and main piston, asecond piston displaceable within said cylinder and adapted to separatea mass of liquid and a mass of gaseous fluid contained in said cylinder,sealing means forming opposed flexible members having tapering scrapingskirts spacedly arranged and between which is located the liquid, saidscraping skirts being respectively secured with said pistons whereby asa result of pressure solely exerted by the gaseous fluid on the secondpiston and transmitted to the liquid said scraping skirts are pressedclosely against the cylinder, the skirt on the main piston beinginterposed between the latter and the cylinder, the main piston havingan extension interconnecting it with the second piston and upon whichextension the second piston and its skirt are displaceable.

2. An improved shock absorber comprising a cylinder, a main pistonhaving an extension, a second piston displaceable within said cylinderand adapted to separate a mass of liquid and a mass of gaseous fluidcontained in said cylinder, sealing means forming opposed flexiblemembers having tapering scraping skirts spa'cedly arranged and betweenwhich is located the liquid, said scraping skirts being respectivelysecured with said pistons whereby as a result of pressure solely exertedby the gaseous fluid on the second piston and transmitted to the liquidsaid scraping skirts are pressed closely against the cylinder, thesecond piston having a guide sleeve along the extension of the mainpiston.

3. An improved shock absorber comprising a cylinder, a main pistonhaving an extension, a second piston displaceable within said cylinderand adapted to separate a mass of liquid and a mass of gaseous fiuidcontained in said cylinder, sealing means forming opposed flexiblemembers having tapering scraping skirts spa'cedly arranged and betweenwhich is located the liquid, said scraping skirts being respectivelysecured with said pistons whereby as a result of pressure solely exertedby the gaseous fluid on the second piston and transmitted to the liquidsaid scraping skirts are pressed closely against the cylinder, and aperforated disc fixed to the extension of the main piston which securescentralisation of the assembly.

- EUGENE J ULES LAUGAUDIN.

